In a Wide Frame

Although comics have a long history as a phenomenon of popular culture in Poland, their recognition as an artistic genre is a relatively recent development. Since 1989, Polish comics have undergone continuous transformation, challenging established conventions and monopolies along the way.

The exhibition In a Wide Frame will be a multithreaded narrative about the transformation of comics in Poland—ranging from initiatives responding to the need tǫ describe changes in social reality, through the development of the Internet, the blogosphere, and the formation of a professional comics market, to works pursuing a specific political agenda, commissioned by public institutions or social organisations.

The exhibition will be divided into three intertwining narratives. The first explores the representation of social reality in comics, with a particular focus on works depicting the political transformation of the 1990s. The second addresses the ongoing, two-decade-long shift in the paradigm surrounding the role and position of women in comics. The third examines the relationship between comics and power, emphasizing a critical perspective on the most dominant historical narratives in contemporary comics. A recurring thread across all three narratives is the remarkable popularity of autobiographical comics.

Comics are nowadays a frequent source of inspiration for mainstream contemporary artists. For this reason, the exhibition will also feature works by artists who reference this medium in their practice.

Curator: Artur Wabik
Co-organisers: Bunkier Sztuki Contemporary Art Gallery and Comics Art Museum

The exhibition is intended for adult audiences.

Dominik Szcześniak, board from the comic strip Worms [Robaczki], courtesy Comics Art Museum